Crown Prince chairs Cabinet session

January 31, 2011

Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz began the Cabinet session at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh today with a briefing on the latest foreign contacts of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, including conversations with Moroccan King Mohammed VI, U.S. President Barack Obama and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The Cabinet focused on the deadly rains and flooding that hit Jeddah last Wednesday, urging all relevant government bodies to heed the order of King Abdullah to provide urgent relief and support for victims of the natural disaster. The ministers listened to a number of reports on the progress of flood relief efforts, including a briefing by Second Deputy Prime Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz on the outcome of the coordination meeting he chaired yesterday in Riyadh.

After reviewing the latest regional and global developments, the Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the stability, safety and security of Egypt, a country it characterized as central to the Arab and Islamic worlds. The Cabinet also welcomed the outcome of the 10th session of the Saudi-Turkish joint committee, which was held in Riyadh last week.

Addressing its weekly agenda, the Cabinet authorized Crown Prince Sultan to sign the Charter of the Marine Forum of the Indian Ocean; approved a memorandum of scientific and educational cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education and New Zealand’s Ministry of Education; authorized the Minister of Finance to sign a draft agreement on customs cooperation with Jordan; authorized the Minister of Commerce and Industry to sign a draft mutual agreement on the Convention of Basic Cooperation between the Kingdom and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization; and approved a decision to enable the Ministry of Social Affairs to supervise childcare centers, research centers and social centers and to issue licenses for social affairs to the private sector.